What’s Writing Like?

A young waitress asked me that a few days ago. She said she hated writing, and didn’t like her college courses because of it. I have similar thoughts about algebra and higher math, so I can empathize, but the truth is that I love writing. Always have. Scratch that—I love telling stories. Whether researching post-Chacoan Anasazi sites or describing the database used for a mass graves project, writing gives me a chance to help someone else understand something new.

Kind of weird, I admit, descri...